March 21, 2024
Not surprisingly, after Tuesday night's Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band concert in Phoenix, Stevie Van Zandt didn't just high-tail it back to his hotel-room and slip into his (presumably) paisley (or perhaps leopard-skin-print) pajamas. Instead he headed over to the special "Stevie's After-Party" edition of the ongoing Wicked Cool Records Revue touring showcase, held at downtown Phoenix's Crescent Ballroom. Jake Clemons stopped by, as well.
Unlike many "A-lister" after-parties, mere mortals were granted admission, as well...and for only about twenty-five bucks per person, at that! Those in attendance got to see and hear four great mini-sets performed by some of the best acts signed to Van Zandt's own record label: (in order of appearance at Tuesday's Phoenix gig:) Soraia, The Cocktail Slippers, The Chesterfield Kings, and Slim Jim Phantom & The Wildcats. The Wicked Cool label is yet another part of Stevie's tireless efforts to support both veteran rockers and up-and-coming artists, helping to keep great rock-and-roll alive for current listeners and future generations.
“The Wicked Cool Records Revue will give people a taste of the twenty fabulous acts on our record label,” he says. “People know Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats, but they may not have had an opportunity to see Slim Jim Phantom & The Wildcats. We’ve also got Soraia, one of our most popular bands from Philadelphia, and the fabulous Cocktail Slippers are coming all the way from Norway. I’m particularly excited about the return of the legendary Chesterfield Kings, the garage band that set the standards for all others back in the eighties. It’s their first show in fifteen years and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Before Tuesday night's gig in Phoenix, the bands also got to catch their record-label head in action onstage with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band at the Footprint Center. The Cocktail Slippers posted on their Facebook page this photo of them hanging out backstage with Stevie and being "not worthy!" with Alice Cooper, who attended the Footprint Center show:
There are only two more chances to catch the current Wicked Cool Records Revue: tonight's 21-and-over event in Las Vegas and Friday night's all-ages event in San Francisco. Click here for more information, including ticket-purchasing links, although it was just announced that there will be NO cover charge for tonight's Vegas event! Unlike Tuesday night's Phoenix gig, neither Stevie Van Zandt nor any other E Streeters have been confirmed to attend tonight's Las Vegas event, but ya never know. More important, if YOU attend, you're guaranteed to hear some wicked cool Wicked Cool music, baby!
All photos from Phoenix's The Crescent Ballroom; March 19, 2024 by Shawn Poole